Fan



A. Z. sERoR.

FAN. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. 1918.

` 'Patented Feb. 211,- 1922;

su l. ."31.

caterer ALBERT Z. SEROR, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD 1T.

ROYER.

FAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.. 2f, i922.

Y Application filed March 27, 1918. Serial No. 224,945.

To all who/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT Z. Snnon, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new andV useful Fan, of which the following is aspecification.v

This invention relates to fans.

- The object of the invention is to provide a gear-driven,hand-operated, rotary fan of simple and relatively cheap constructionand of such small size that it may conveniently be carried in a vest orother pocket. Specifically, my present invention is designed tosimplify, improve and cheapen the fan which forms the subject-matter ofU. S. Letters Patent No. 1,243,637, dated October 16, 1917, issued tomyself and Edward J. Hoyer, as jointinventors. i

To effect these objects, a fan of my invention comprisesthe variousfeatures, combinations of features and details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, in which my'invention is fully illustrated,

Figure l is a front view of a fan of my invention, showing the casing insection, to expose the fan operating mechanism, and the actuatingplunger in extended position.

Figure 2 is a side View of my improved fan, also showing the casing insection, but the actuating` plunger heilig shown at the inner limit ofits movement and the parts being shown in nested position in dottedlines.

Figures S' and 4 are fragmentary, sec-` kholding and operating the fanVwithout interfering with the operative parts thereof.

As regards its usual features, and exccpting as hereinafter particularlypointed out, the fan proper l is of a usual type and will be readilyunderstood from the drawing without a detailed description thereof.

To provide for turning the' vanes or blades of said fan into extendedposition, as shown in Fig. l, and into folded ci' nested position, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, said vanes or blades are mounted ona bushing 4 so as to turn thereon relatively to each other. In practice,one of said vanes, as the outer vane l', is preferably secured to saidbushing 4 so as to turn therewith. Convenient means for thus securingsaid fan vane l to the bushing 4 so as to rotate therewith, consists inexpanding said bushing into strong frictional engagement with the holein said fan vane through which said bushing extends. My invention,however, contemplates any other desired or ap proved means for thussecuring said vane or blade l to said bushing, as by soldering said fanvane or blade to said 'bushing'. The inner vane or blade l2 is free toturn on the bushing 4, thus providing for desired relative pivotalmovement of said fan vanes or blades.

To provide for securing said fan vanes or blades in folded and extendedpositions, said vanes or blades are provided at their attached ends withinterlocking beads and grooves 5 and 6 formed by struck-up portions ofsaid vanes or blades arranged symmetrically at opposite sides of thepivotal axes thereof. As shown, said beads and grooves are formed bystriking or stamping up substantially similar beads on said vanes orblades, the ribs on one thereof forming grooves adapted to receive andinterlock with the ribs on the other.

In operation, the beads 5 are formed on the inner vane or blade l andthe grooves which receive said blades on the outer vane or' blade l,said beads and grooves being held yieldingly in engagement when infolded and extended positions by means of a spring 7 inserted betweenthe pivoted end of the inner vane or blade l2 and a flange 8 formed atthe inner end of the bushing 4, said spring being preferably woundhelically so that it will engage the attached end of the inner fan vaneor blade l2 at an appreciable distance from the bushing 4.

My invention contemplates attaching the bushing 4 to the fan shaft 2 inany desired manner so that the fan proper l will rotate with said shaft.Simple means for this purpose consists in slightly tapering the outerend of the fan shaft 1 and in correspondingly tapering the hole throughthe bushing 4, whereby said bushing may be forced onto said fan shaftand into strong frictional engagement therewith.

The casing 3 forms the frame of the fan on which `the operative partsthereofl are mounted and by whichthe fan is held while being operated.

In the preferable construction shown, said casing consists of a barrel9, made of any suitable material, as rubber, papier mache, or the like.secured to the ends of which are caps 10 and 11, preferably made ofsuitable vsheet metal, being conveniently stamped from thin sheet steel.

The fan shaft 2 is preferably mounted so as to rotate freely in bearingsformed in the cap 10 secured to what, for purposes of convenientreference, will be calledA the upper end of the casing 3, the relationbeing such that the axis of the fan shaft will extend,

substantially at right angles to the .axis or center' line of saidcasing.

The gearing for driving the fan 1 consists of ar screw 12 the ends ofwhich are cut down to form journals which engage suitable bearingsformed in the lower cap 11 and in a bearing member 18 supported withinthe fan casing at a short distance below the fan shaft 2. As shown, saidbearing member consists of an end wall of the barrel 9, lbut myinvention contemplates any desired or approved form of bearing member.For reasons presently explained, the screw 12 is shorter than thedistance be tween its bearings in the cap 11 and thev bearing member 13,thus providing for limited endwise movement of said screw.

The journal on said screw which has its bearing in the bearing member 13is made of vsufficient length so that it will project through saidbearing member and secured to the end thereof above said bearing member,is a gear 14 the teeth of which are adapted to engage the teeth of agear 15 secured to rotate with the fan shaft 2.

lWhile my invention contemplates the use of any desired or approved formof gear vwheels leland 15, l prefer, on account of naci/'ase engagementand disengagement of theteeth of the gear let secured to said` screwwith the teeth of the gear 15. f-

Rotation is adapted to be imparted to the screw 12 in oppositedirections by reciprocating movement of a nut 16 threaded to said screw,said nut being held against rotation during such reciprocating movement.

Said nut is adapted to be maintained normally, yieldingly Aat the outerlimit of its movement by a coiled spring 17 inserted between thebea-ring member 18 and the nut 16 and preferably permanently connectedto said nut, the eXtreme outer position of the nut .being defined bycontact thereof Vwith the cap 11 secured -to the outer end of the barrel9. i

Movement is adapted to .be imparted to the nut 16 against the lforce ofthe spring 17 bymeans of a plunger connected thereto and which islongitudinally movable in a suitable bearing formed in the cap 11secured to the outer end of the tube or cylinder 9, said plunger and thebearings therefor in the cap 11 being so constructed and arranged thatthey will not interfere with' the screw 12 or the bearings therefor insaid cap 11. As shown, said plunger preferably consists of spaced rods18 fitted to and freely movable endwise in suitable bearings formed inthe cap 11 at opposite sides of the bearing for the ljournal of thescrew 12, the inner ends of said rods being rigidly secured to the nut16 and their outer ends being rigidly connected to a button or pressureplate 19. Said rods will thus hold the nut against rotation, in themanner desired.

The nut 16 is preferably made in the form of what may be described as athimble having straight ,sides and which is slightly smaller than theinside diameter of the barrel 9, in which form it may be stamped, atslight cost, from suitable sheet metal. Formed in the end of said nut isa hole or opening 20, the shape of which conforms to the shape incross-section of the screw 12 and which is sufficiently larger than saidscrew to permit the same to pass freely therethrough, while,l at thesame time, imparting rotary movement to said screw in oppositedirections as the nut 16 moves in or out. As shown.V the screw 12 has adouble thread, which will' make its shape in cross-section symmetricalat opposite sides V Ofits axis. l do not, however, desire to limitmyself to a screw having aV double `To provide for conveniently holdingVand operating the fan so as not tol interfere with Vthe rotation of thefanl, the fan casing is provided, on the side thereof opposite to saidfan proper, with a finger grip 22.- In use, the fan is designed to beheld between 4the thumb applied'to` the'pressure plate 19, and a fingeror two of the same hand applied to the finger grip 22, said finger gripaffording a purchase for applying force to said plunger by means ofthethumb, in an obvious manner.

To provide for folding the finger grip 22 against the side of theV fancasing, said finger grip is preferably hinged or pivoted to said casing,its movement under the stress to which it will be subjected Vin use,being limited by a suitable stop. Preferably, also, said finger grip isso constructed and arranged thatt maybe engaged with the nut 16, whensaid nut is at or adjacent to the inner limit of itsv movement under theinfluence of pressure applied to the plunger 18, the relation being suchthat the pressure of thespring 17 on said nut will operate to hold saidfinger grip turned into position against the side of the Vcasing 8 andsaid finger grip operating to lock said nut and the plunger 18substantially at the limit of their inward movement, in which positionsof said finger grip and of said plunger, said fan casing and associatedparts will occupy the least possible space. v

In the specific construction shown. the finger grip 22 is pivoted to theinner side of a plate 23 rigidly secured to the cap 10 and its free endprojectsoutwardly through a slot 25 in said plate. Pivotal movement ofsaid finger grip to define its operative position is limited by contactthereof with the lower end of the slot 25.

The nut 16 andthe plunger rods 18 are adapted to be secured at the innerlimit of their movement by a lip 2li formed on the finger grip 22preferably at a point beyond its. pivot, the relation being such thatwhen said finger grip is turned against the side of the casing intoinoperative position, said lip 24C will project through a: slot 26formed in the barrel 9 of the fan casing, into the path of movement ofthe nut 16. Thus. by foreing the nut 16 inwardly beyond the lip 24 bymeans of the plunger applied thereto, turning said finger grip intoposition against the side of the fan casing, and releasing the pressureon the plunger applied to said nut, said nut will be forced outwardly bythe spring 17 into contact with the lip 24, which will t-hus loclr saidnut 16 and the plunger applied thereto at approximately the inner limitof Vtheir movement and the finger grip in folded position, all in themanner desired.

While the means shown for pivoting said finger grip and for holding samein folded and extended positions and for locking the plunger applied tothe nut 16 in pressed-in posit-ion, embody what I now consider to be thepreferable means for this purpose, I do not desire to limit myselfthereto, as other means will readily suggest themselves to skilledmechanics.

In use, the fan is designed to be held between a thumb applied to thepressure plate 19 at the outer end of the plunger 18 and' a finger ortwo of the same hand applied to the finger grip `22, and pressure isalternately applied to the end of said plunger to force the sameinwardly and is then relieved, whereupon the spring 17 will force thenut 16 and plunger 18 outwardly. Owing to the fact that the threadedportion of the screw 12 is shorter than the dista-nee between itsbearings, the initial movement of said nut caused by pressure appliedtothe plunger 18, will impart bodily endwise movement to said screw toeffect engagement of the teeth of the gear 14,`on the inner end of thejournal of said screw with the teeth of the gear 15 on the fan shaft,and, after engagement of said gears is effected, further movement ofsaid nut due to pressure applied to said plimger will impart rotation tothe screw 12, and through the gears 14 and 15, to the fan shaft 2 andfan 1. iVhen movement of the nut 16 due to pressure on the plunger 18ceases, as when said plunger and nut reach the inner limits of theirmovement, the momentum of the fan 1 will cause the fan shaft 2 tocontinue to rotate and rotation of said fan sha-ft will operate, throughthe gears 1+i and 15, to impart rotation to the screw, such rotarymovement of said screw through its screw threaded engagement with thenut 16, operating to impart bodily endwise movement to said screw, whichwill continue until the gear 14;, on said screw is disengaged from thegear 15 on the fan shaft, whereupon the fan 1 will continue to rotatefor a considerable time under its own momentum, while the screw 12 willcome to rest and will remain at rest until the pressure onV the plunger18 is relieved and the nut 1G begins to move outwardly under thepressure of the spring 17, which will impart rotation to said screw in areversed direction to that in which it will be turned by inward movementof said nut due to pressure on the plunger. Due to the action deAscribed, itis possible to operate the plunger 18 in what may bedescribed as in intermittent or irregular manner-said plunger beingforced inwardly to give an impulse to the fan 1 and held stationary,usually at the inner limit of its movement, for a considerable intervalof time, disengagement of said gears 14 and 15 being eHected bycontinued rotation of said screw 12 due to the momentum of the fan. Butfor the action and manner of effecting disengagement of the gears 14 and15 described, rotation of the fan would stop when the nut 16 reached theinner limit of its movement or was held stationary .at any point in itsinward movement, for the reason lthat while the initial outward movementof the nut 16 under the v influence of the spring 17 would impart bodilycndwise movement to said screw outwardly and would thus effectdisengagement of the gear 14, thereon from the gear 15, disengagement inthis manner could not take place so long as the nut was held stationaryby the plunger 18, and in any event could not take place even if thepressure on said plunger was relieved instantaneously, as a slightinterval 'of time would necessarily elapse before the plunger and nutcould be released and could respond to the pressure of the spring 17,and, during this interval, said nut and screwwould be heldstationary,thus preventing disengagement of the gears 14 and 15, whichwould stop the fan 1 abruptly.

lVith the described construction, it is, therefore, obvious thatintermittentimpulses will be imparted to the fan by pressing the plungerinwardly at intervals, the frequency i of which will depend upon therapidity with which said plunger is operated and that, at the end ofeach impulse, the fan 1 will continue to rotate under its own momentumregardless ofthe interval of time which elapses before the nut isreleased so as to respond to the pressure of spring17.

I claim '1. In a fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mountedtherein, a screw, a nut threaded thereto, said screw and nut beingmounted, one so as to admit of rotary and limited endwise movement andthe other so.

as to admit of reciprocating movement, means for reciprocating thelatter, and gearing connecting said rotary member and fan shaft, therelation being such that movement of said reciprocating member willrotate said rotatable member, the initial movement of said reciprocatingmember to rotate said rotatable member impartingendwise movement to saidrotatable member to effect engagement of the gearing connecting saidrotatable member with the fan shaft, and the relation being such alsothat rotation of said rotatable member from said fan'shaft by means ofsaid gearing will operate through the screw threaded engagement of saidrotatable member with said reciprocating member to effect disengagementof said gearing, substantially as described. c

2. In a fan, the combination of a casing, afan shaft mounted therein, ascrew rotatably-mounted in said casing so as to admit of limited endwisemovement, a nut threaded to said screw, meansfor imparting reciprocatingmovement to said nut, gearing` connecting said screw and fan shaft,engaffement and disengagement of which is adapted to be effected byendwise movement Lacasse of said screw, reciprocating movement of saidnut operating to rotae said screw, the relation being such that the,initial movement'of said nut in one direction will effect engagement ofthe gearing connecting said screw and fan shaft and'such also thatrotation of said screw from said fanv shaft by the connecting gearingwill operate through the iscrew threadedengagement of said screw withsaid nut to effect disengagement of said gearing, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted therein, ascrew'rotatably mounted in said casing so as -to admit of limitedendwise movement, a nut threadedto said screw, means for impartingreciprocating movement to said n t, gears on said screw and fanV shaft,the relation being such that endwise movement of said screw in oppositedirections `will operate to effect engagement and disengagement of thegear thereon with and from the gear on said fan shaft, they relationbeing such that'the initial movement of said nut in one direction willimpartendwise movement to said screw to effect engagement of the gear onsaid screw with the gear on said fan shaft and such also that rotationof said screw from said fan shaft through the gears connecting saidscrew and fan shaft will operate through the screw threaded engagementof said screw with said nut to effect disengagement of the gear on saidscrew from the gear on said fan shaft, substantially as described.

ll. In a fan, the Vcombination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted in saidcasing, fan blades secured to said fan shaft, and means for rotatingsaid fan shaft, said means comprising a screw rotatably mounted inbearings in said casing comprising a bearing member supported within thecasing adjacent to the fan shaft, andthe journal of said screw extendingthrough and beyond its bearing in said bearing member, a nut threaded tosaid screw and means for imparting reciprocating movement to said nutlengthwise of said screw, a gear secured to the end of the journal ofsaid screw adjacent to said fan shaft,v and a gear on the shaft adaptedfor engagement therewith, said screw being sufficiently shorter than thedistance between its bearing to permit endwise movement thereof underthe pressure applied to the nut threaded thereto to effect engagementand disengagement of the gear on said screw with'and from' the gear onthe fan shaft when endwise movement is imparted to said screw inopposite directions, substantially as described.

5. In a. fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted in saidcasing andV which projects through a wall thereof, fan blades secured tothe projecting end of said shaft, and means for rotating said fan shaft,said means comprising a `screw rotatably mounted in bearings in saidcasing comprising a bearing formed in a bearing member supported withinsaid casing adjacent to the fan shaft, and the journal of said screwextending through and beyond its bearing in said bearing member, a nutthreaded to said screw, means for holding said nut from rotating, andmeans for imparting reciprocating movement thereto lengthwise of saidscrew, a gear secured to the end of the journal of said screw adjacentto said fan shaft, and a gear .on the Vfan shaft adapted to engagetherewith, said screw being sufficiently shorter than the distancebetween its bearings to permit endwise movement thereof to effectengagement and disengagement of the gear on said screw with and from thegear on'the fan shaft, substantially as described.

6. In a fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted in saidcausing and which projects through a wall thereof, fan blades secured tothe projecting end of said shaft, and means for rotating said fan shaft,said means comprising a screw rotatably mounted in bearings in saidcasing comprising a bearing formed in a bearing member supported withinsaid casing adjacent to the fan shaft, and the journal of said screw exetending through and beyond its bearing in said bearing member, a4 nutthreaded to said screw, means for holding said nut from rotating, andmeans for imparting reciprocating movement thereto lengthwise of saidscrew, a gear secured to the end of the j ournal of said screw adjacentto said fan shaft, and a gear on the fan shaft adapt-ed to engagetherewith, said gears comprising a spur gear and a gear the teeth ofwhich extend at an angle to the plane in which said gear is supported,said screw being suiiiciently shorter than the distance between itsbearings to permit endwise movement thereof to effect'engagement anddisengagement of the ,gear thereon with and from the gear secured to thefan shaft, substantially as described.

7. In a fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted in saidcasing and which projects through a wall thereof, fan blades secured tothe projecting end of said shaft, and means for rotating said fan shaft,said means comprising a screw rotatably mounted in bearings in saidcasing comprising a. bearing formed in a bearing member supported withinsaid casing adjacent to the fan shaft, and the journal of said screwextendingV through and beyond its bearing in said bearing member, a nutthreaded to said screw, and means for imparting reciprocating movementthereto lengthwise of said screw, said means comprising spaced plungerrods the inner ends of which are secured to said nut and which arepositioned at opposite sides of the screw to which said nut is threaded,said plunger rods being freely movable endwise in suitable bearingsformed in the fan casing and projecting outside thereof, the relationbeing such that pressure applied to the end of said plunger rods willforce said nut inwardly, and gearing connecting said screw and fan shaftconstructed and arranged for imparting' rotary movement to said fanshaft con tinuously in one direction and for disengaging said gearingthrough the screw threaded engagement of said nut and screw whenmovement of said nut to rotate said screw and fan shaft ceases,substantially as de scribed.

8. ln a fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted thereinand which projects through a wall thereof, fan blades secured to theprojecting end of said shaft, and means for rotating said'fan shaft,`said means comprising a screw rotatably mounted in bearings in saidcasing, a nut threaded to said screw, means for holding said nut fromrotating, means for imparting recipe rocating movement to said nutlengthwise of said screw, comprising a plunger applied to said nut, theend of which projects beyond the fan casing, the relation being` suchthat pressure on said plunger will force said nut inwardly, a fingergrip pivoted upon the fan casing affording a purchase for exertingpressure on said plunger, a stop which limits the pivot-al movement ofsaid nger grip under the stress to which it is subjected in use, andgearing connecting said screw and fan shaft constructed and arranged forimparting rotary movement to said fan shaft continuously in onedirection, substantially as described.

9. ln a fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted thereinand which projects through a wall thereof, fan blades secured to theprojecting end of said shaft, and means for rotating said fan shaft,said means comprising a screw rotatably mounted in bearings in saidcasing, a nut threaded to said screw, means for holding said nut fromrotating, means for imparting recipn rocating movement to said nutlengthwise of said screw.y comprising a plunger applied to said nut, theend of which projects beyond the fan casing, the relation being suchthat pressure on said plunger will force said nut inwardly, a iingergrip pivoted upon said fan casing, a lip projecting from the pivoted endof said finger grip and extending at an angle thereto, the member towhich said linger grip is pivoted being pro vided with a slot throughwhich said lip extends, contact of said linger grip with said slottedmember operating to limit the pivotal movement of said finger grip inuse, and gearing connecting said screw and fan shaft constructed andarranged for imparting rotary movement to said fan shaft conllOtinuously in one direction, substantially as described.

. 10. Inra fan, the combination of a casing, a lan shaft mounted thereinand which projects through a wall thereof, fan blades secured to theprojecting end of said shaft, and means for rotating said fan shaft,said means comprising a screw rotatabljT mounted in bearings in saideasing, a nut threaded to said screw, means for holding Said nut fromrotating, means for imparting reciproeating movement to said nutlengthwise of said screw, comprising a plunger applied to said nut, theend of which projects beyond the fan casing, the relation being suchthat pressureI on said plunger will `force said nut inwardly, a fingergrip pivoted upon said fan casing, a lip projecting from the pivoted endof said finger grip and extending at an angle thereto, the fan casingbeing provided .with a slot through which the lip on said finger gripprojects into said fan casing, Contact of said finger grip with a rigidpart of the fan casing operating toV limit the pivotal movement of saidfinger grip in use, and the relation being such that when said fingergripY is folded a ainstthe sideV of the fan casing, said lip willproject intothe path of movement of the nut threaded to the screw at apoint below said nut when substantially at the inner limit of itsmovement, and will be out of the 'path of movement of said nut when saidfinger grip is turned into extended position, and gearing connectingsaid vscrew and fan shaft constructed and arranged for imparting rotarymovement to Said fan shaft continuously in one direction, substantiallyas de- Y scribed.

In testimony, that I claim the Vforegoing as my invention, I aiix myVsignature this 21st day of March, 1918. Y

ALBERT z. snaon.,

